An in-depth investigation of molecular interaction in zeaxanthin/corn silk glycan complexes and its positive role in hypoglycemic activity

Glycans in corn silk could interact with co-existing small molecules during its absorption, digestion, and biological process. In order to understand the exact mechanism of action of zeaxanthin, it is critical to investigate the biomolecular interactions, which were necessary to form a glycan-small molecule complex and yet produce the bioactive effect. So far, the in-depth study of these natural interactions has not been fully elucidated. Here, we probed that the molecular interaction between zeaxanthin (ZEA) and glycans from corn silk (CSGs) was driven by enthalpy. More importantly, it was the first time found that CSGs can bind to lipid-soluble ZEA could be binded with CSGs. It was the first report on the thermostability of insulin structure and natural glycans. This study should facilitate our understanding of the interaction between lipid soluble molecules and glycans, and provide a more comprehensive understanding of the nutrient base in food.

"MD" method for the precise analysis of the O-acetyl-mannan structure and disclosure of the role in the conformational stability of insulin

Among the diversified glycan modifications, acylation is one of the most abundant. This modification could be responsible for many of the properties of glycans, such as structural stability and specificity for biological activity. To obtain better insight into the effects of acetylation of glycans on the structure and thermostability of insulin, it is critical to investigate glycans with a high degree of acetylation. An in-depth study of three functional glycans named acetyl-mannan from Dendrobium devonianum (DDAM) was conducted herein by efficient enzymatic depolymerization, and the effect of glycosidic bonds on acetylation modification sites was studied through a molecular dynamics (MD) method, as well as its positive effect on insulin secretion, glucose uptake, and the thermal stability of tertiary structures in vitro. Further study indicated that DDAMs play a hypoglycemic role by sparking the thermostability of the insulin conformation. The hypoglycemic activity displayed a positive correlation with the degree of acetylation in DDAMs. In this work, through the MD method, we confirmed the structure characteristics of DDAMs and provided accurate data support for the structure-activity relationship analysis. Thus, these findings demonstrated that DDAMs might be an exceptional leading compound for the stability of insulin drug.

Gastrodinol derivatives and prenylated flavones from the flower branch of Gastrodia elata

Based on the research progress and traditional usage with whole herbal of the TCM "Tianma", chemical studies herein on the flower branch of Gastrodia elata were carried out in-depth and got 13 compounds including the gastrodinols (1-4), the flavonoid morins (5-8, 11-12), together with the specialist mulberrofurans (9, 13) and gastrodiamide (10) for the first time from the species. The antibacterial and cholinesterase inhibitory activities were then evaluated and the results showed that compounds 5, 11, 12, 13 have good activity against anti-methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, and compounds 9, 13 had good acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity. All these results provide new chemical composition for better understanding the traditional application of "Tianma" and for exploring new pharmacological ingredients.

Interaction mechanism between luteoloside and corn silk glycans and the synergistic role in hypoglycemic activity

As the two most principal active substances in the corn silk, polysaccharides and flavonoids, the mechanism of interaction between them has been a topic of intense research. This study provides an in-depth investigation of the interaction mechanism between corn silk glycans and luteoloside (LUT) and the synergistic role that result from this interaction. The interaction mechanism was evaluated by isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) and circular dichroism (CD), and the synergistic role was evaluated by the expression of glucose transporters (GLUT-1), insulin secretion and surface plasmon resonance (SPR). CD and ITC results indicated that the interaction between CSGs and LUT mainly driven by the Cotton effects, enthalpy and entropy-driven. This interaction precipitated the formation of complexes (CSGs/LUT complexes) between corn silk glycans (CSGs) with four different molecular weights and luteoloside (LUT). Furthermore, the CSGs and LUT play a synergistic role in glucose regulation through GLUT-1 expression and insulin secretion experiments, compared to single luteoloside group.

Target acquisition of anti-aging manno-oligosaccharide that triggers ECM process via TGF-β/Smads-SIRT1 signalling pathway

Glycans play a crucial role in a variety of physiological and pathological processes. In terms of skin, the sugar chain length, monosaccharide composition and structure of glycans change with age, and thus the changes in glycogens in skin cells are a potential biomarker of aging. The exogenous addition of structurally defined glycans is of great importance for delaying the skin aging process. Fortunately, a functional glycan named manno-oligosaccharide (DOMOS) from Dendrobium officinale was obtained herein by efficient enzymatic depolymerization and exerts anti-aging effects on human skin in vitro and in vivo together with human clinical studies. Further studies show that DOMOS exerts anti-aging effects by triggering the ECM process through a TGF-β/Smad-SIRT1 signalling pathway. This is the first study to concentrate on the beneficial effects of glycan degradation by a highly specific method on skin aging and provides an all-new solution to the skin aging problem that people are most concerned about.

Modern interpretation of the traditional application of Shihu - A comprehensive review on phytochemistry and pharmacology progress of Dendrobium officinale

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

The traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) "Shihu" has a long history of medicinal use in China from some species of Dendrobium. D. officinale is a major source of "Shihu" and is widely cultivated in south of China and listed separately as "Tiepi Shihu" by the Chinese Pharmacopoeia in now time. Traditionally, D. officinale has been widely used in daily health care and the treatment of diabetes and gastrointestinal diseases.

AIM OF THIS REVIEW

In order to better develop and utilize D. officinale, we conducted this systematic review of previous studies, showed clear structure of all isolates from D. officinale together with pharmacological progress, hoping to provide references for further research and utilization. In addition, specific display of the chemical components and the research progress of related activities can help to better understand the traditional records and modern pharmaceutical applications of the plant medicine.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Information on phytochemistry and pharmacological studies of D. officinale was collected from various scientific databases including Web of Science, SciFinder, ACS, Springer, Scopus, PubMed, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar and CNKI.

RESULTS

More than 180 compounds isolated from D. officinale, including bibenzyls, phenols, phenylpropanoids, lignans, flavonoids and polysaccharides are listed in this review. Furthermore, modern pharmacological researches such as hypoglycemia, immune regulation, antioxidant, cardiovascular regulation and gastrointestinal protection are summarized.

CONCLUSION

Based on the summary of the research work of D. officinale, we systematically show the chemical composition of the plant, and concluded the relationship of those composition with plant habitat together with the relationship between the structure of chemical components and pharmacological activity. Moreover, we suggest that some of small molecule compounds could also be quality control of D. officinale besides polysaccharides.

The Extracts of Dendrobium Alleviate Dry Eye Disease in Rat Model by Regulating Aquaporin Expression and MAPKs/NF-κB Signalling

Dry eye is one of the most common ocular surface diseases caused by tear film instability and ocular surface damage due to an abnormal quality or quantity of tears. Inflammatory factors can initiate relevant transduction signalling pathways and trigger the inflammatory cascade response, resulting in ocular surface inflammation. It has been shown that the active ingredients in Dendrobium, such as polysaccharides, alkaloids and phenols, have anti-inflammatory, anti-tumour and immunity-boosting effects, and Dendrobium officinale extract can improve glandular secretion function, increase salivary secretion and increase the expression level of water channel protein in salivary glands in patients with dry eye syndromes. We investigated the in vitro cytoprotective effect of Dendrobium extracts in sodium chloride induced hyperosmotic conditions in human cornea keratocytes (HKs). Results showed that Dendrobium officinale Kimura et Migo water extract (DOW) and Dendrobium loddigesii Rolfe water extract (DLW) could upregulate the expression of aquaporins (AQP)5 protein, thus exerting a repairing effect by promoting cell migration. Furthermore, oral administration of DOW and DLW enhanced tear production in rats and exerted a protective effect on ocular surface damage. DOW and DLW could upregulate the expression of AQP5 and mucin (muc)5ac proteins in the lacrimal gland and reduce the inflammatory response. DOW and DLW inhibited the activation of the corresponding mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) and NF-KB pathway, thereby playing a role in improving dry eye symptoms. This study provides a new perspective on dry eye treatment, and DOW and DLW may be potential therapeutic agents for dry eye.

Purification, structural characterization and immunomodulatory activities of a polysaccharide from the fruiting body of Morchella sextelata

A novel polysaccharide (MSP-1) was isolated from the fruiting body of Morchella sextelata and purified using DEAE-52 and Sephadex G-75. The molecular weight of MSP-1 was 1.17 × 10⁴ Da, as detected by HPLC analysis. The monosaccharide composition of MSP-1 was mannose and glucose at a ratio of 1.00: 1.25. Methylation and NMR results revealed that the backbone of MSP-1 was composed of →4)-β-D-Manp-(1→, →4)-β-D-Glcp-(1→, →4)-α-D-Glcp-(1→, and →4, 6)-α-D-Glcp-(1→. SEM images of MSP-1 presented a dense network structure with porous characterizations. The immunomodulatory activities of MSP-1 were evaluated using RAW264.7 cells, and the results showed that MSP-1 promoted proliferative and phagocytic activity and increased the production of NO, TNF-α and IL-6. These results indicated that MSP-1 exhibited significant immunomodulatory activities.

Anthraquinones from the Aerial Parts of Rubia cordifolia with Their NO Inhibitory and Antibacterial Activities

The present study aimed to identify the composition of the aerial parts of Rubia cordifolia L. A chemical investigation on the EtOAc extracts from the aerial parts of Rubia cordifolia resulted in the isolation of four new anthraquinones, namely Cordifoquinone A-D (1-4), along with 16 known anthraquinones. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of NMR and HR-ESIMS data. All isolates were assessed for their inhibitory effects on NO production in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophage cells. Compounds 1, 3 and 10 exhibited significant inhibitory activities with IC₅₀ values of 14.05, 23.48 and 29.23 μmol·L^-1, respectively. Their antibacterial activities of four bacteria, Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922), Staphylococcus aureus subsp. aureus (ATCC 29213), Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica (ATCC 14028) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 27853), were also evaluated. Our results indicated that the antibacterial activity of these compounds is inactive.

Target-Based Virtual Screening and LC/MS-Guided Isolation Procedure for Identifying Phloroglucinol-Terpenoid Inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has led to more than 5 million deaths worldwide to date. Due to the limited therapeutic options so far available, target-based virtual screening with LC/MS support was applied to identify the novel and high-content compounds 1-4 with inhibitory effects on SARS-CoV-2 in Vero E6 cells from the plant Dryopteris wallichiana. These compounds were also evaluated against SARS-CoV-2 in Calu-3 cells and showed unambiguous inhibitory activity. The inhibition assay of targets showed that compounds 3 and 4 mainly inhibited SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro, with effective Kd values. Through docking and molecular dynamics modeling, the binding site is described, providing a comprehensive understanding of 3CLpro and interactions for 3, including hydrogen bonds, hydrophobic bonds, and the spatial occupation of the B ring. Compounds 3 and 4 represent new, potential lead compounds for the development of anti-SARS-CoV-2 drugs. This study has led to the development of a target-based virtual screening method for exploring the potency of natural products and for identifying natural bioactive compounds for possible COVID-19 treatment.

[Association of blood lead and blood selenium with serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein among Chinese adults aged 19 to 79 years]

Objective: To investigate the association of blood lead and blood selenium with serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) among Chinese adults aged 19 to 79 years. Methods: The participants were enrolled from the first wave of China National Human Biomonitoring (CNHBM) conducted from 2017 to 2018. 10 153 participants aged 19 to 79 years were included in this study. Fasting blood samples were obtained from participants. Lead and selenium in whole blood and hs-CRP in serum were measured. Individuals with hs-CRP levels above 3.0 mg/L were defined as elevated hs-CRP. Generalized linear mixed models and restricted cubic spline models were used to analyze the association of blood lead and blood selenium with elevated hs-CRP. Logistic regression models were used to analyze the multiplicative scale and additive scale interaction between blood lead and blood selenium on elevated hs-CRP. Results: The age of participants was (48.91±15.38) years, of which 5 054 (61.47%) were male. 1 181 (11.29%) participants were defined as elevated hs-CRP. After multivariable adjustment, results from generalized linear models showed that compared with participants with the lowest quartile of blood lead, the OR (95%CI) of elevated hs-CRP for participants with the second, third, and highest quartiles were 1.14 (0.94-1.37), 1.25 (1.04-1.52) and 1.38 (1.13-1.68), respectively. When compared with participants with the lowest quartile of blood selenium, the OR (95%CI) of elevated hs-CRP for participants with the second, third and highest quartiles were 0.86 (0.72-1.04), 0.91 (0.76-1.11), and 0.75 (0.61-0.92), respectively. Results from the interaction analysis showed no significant interaction between lead and selenium on elevated hs-CRP. Conclusion: Blood concentration of lead was positively associated with elevated serum hs-CRP, and blood concentration of selenium was inversely related to elevated hs-CRP, while blood lead and selenium did not present interaction on elevated hs-CRP.

The bibenzyl derivatives of Dendrobium officinale prevent UV-B irradiation induced photoaging via SIRT3

Dendrobium officinale is a valuable medicinal herb that is widely used in traditional Chinese medicine. The chemical constituents of D. officinale have attracted much attention and a large number of compounds have been reported including many bibenzyl derivatives. 13 bibenzyl derivatives from D. officinale were sent for molecular docking, surface plasmon resonance (SPR) assay and after detection of Mn-SOD and SIRT3 activities in or not in HaCaT cells, it was concluded that bibenzyl derivatives did not directly activate Mn-SOD but promoted SIRT3 proteins. In addition, HaCaT cells were irradiated with UV-B to induce an oxidative stress model in vitro to further verify the effect of bibenzyl derivatives. The results show that bibenzyl derivatives could directly bind to SIRT3, enhance the deacetylation and then activate Mn-SOD, so as to protect UV-B induced skin photoaging.

Current Advances in Mechanisms and Treatment of Dry Eye Disease: Toward Anti-inflammatory and Immunomodulatory Therapy and Traditional Chinese Medicine

Dry eye is currently one of the most common ocular surface disease. It can lead to ocular discomfort and even cause visual impairment, which greatly affects the work and quality of life of patients. With the increasing incidence of dry eye disease (DED) in recent years, the disease is receiving more and more attention, and has become one of the hot research fields in ophthalmology research. Recently, with the in-depth research on the etiology, pathogenesis and treatment of DED, it has been shown that defects in immune regulation is one of the main pathological mechanisms of DED. Since the non-specific and specific immune response of the ocular surface are jointly regulated, a variety of immune cells and inflammatory factors are involved in the development of DED. The conventional treatment of DED is the application of artificial tears for lubricating the ocular surface. However, for moderate-to-severe DED, treatment with anti-inflammatory drugs is necessary. In this review, the immunomodulatory mechanisms of DED and the latest research progress of its related treatments including Chinese medicine will be discussed.

Ten picrotoxane-type sesquiterpenoids from the stems of Dendrobium wardianum Warner

Ten undescribed picrotoxane-type sesquiterpenoids, dendrowardins A-J, together with two known ones, were isolated from the stems of Dendrobium wardianum Warner (Orchidaceae). Dendrowardins A-D feature the unusual 5,2-δ-lactone and additionally dendrowardins C-D are the first examples containing the 11,10-γ-lactone moiety. The structures were established using spectroscopic methods and by comparison with literature data. Further, dendrowardin E, amotin, and aduncin exhibited significant effects of promoting the proliferation on human lens epithelial cells (HLECs) induced by D-galactose.

Structure Revision of Four Classes of Prenylated Aromatic Natural Products Based on a Rule for Diagnostic 13C NMR Chemical Shifts

Errors in elucidating the structures of four natural classes of prenylated aromatic compounds with 2,3-epoxy, 2,3-dihydroxy, and cyclization with an ortho-phenolic hydroxyl to give a pyran or furan ring moiety are frequent and inevitable. Based on rigorous literature research and a series of chemical transformation experiments, a rule for the rapid determination of these four classes of prenylated derivates based on ¹³C NMR data was formulated, and 57 corrections featuring these fragments were accordingly reported.

HPV16 infection promotes an M2 macrophage phenotype to promote the invasion and metastasis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

OBJECTIVES

High-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) is an important risk factor for esophageal cancer. Macrophages constitute a crucial immune medium for regulating HPV-related tumors; however, the specific regulatory mechanisms remain unknown. Therefore, the purpose of our current study was to investigate the mechanism by which HPV16E6 regulates macrophages to promote the invasion and metastasis of esophageal cancer.

METHODS

HPV16E6 infection was detected by polymerase chain reaction. Immunohistochemistry was used to verify the distribution of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) and MMP-9 expression in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma tissues (ESCCs), and cancer adjacent normal tissues (CANs) from Kazakh patients. ESCC cells were transfected with a plasmid over-expressing HPV16E6 and non-contact cocultured with macrophages.

RESULTS

The infection rate of HPV16E6 in Kazakh ESCCs was clearly higher than that in CANs (P < 0.05). The density of CD163-positive TAMs was significantly positively correlated with HPV16E6 infection in ESCCs (P < 0.05). After coculturing macrophages and EC9706 cells transfected with the HPV16E6 plasmid, the phenotype of macrophages transformed into M2 macrophages. The migration and invasion ability of ESCC cells were higher in the HPV16E6-transfected and coculture group than in the HPV16E6 empty vector-transfected and non-cocultured HPV16E6-transfected groups (all P < 0.05). The density of M2-like TAMs in ESCCs was positively correlated with the level of MMP-9 expression. MMP-9 expression in the HPV16E6-ESCC coculture macrophages group was substantially higher than that in controls (all P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

HPV16 infection mediates tumor-associated macrophages to promote ESCC invasion and migration.

Synthesis and Antitumor Activity of 1-Substituted 1,2,3-Triazole-Mollugin Derivatives

A new series of mollugin-1,2,3-triazole derivatives were synthesized using a copper(I)-catalyzed Huisgen 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction of corresponding O-propargylated mollugin with aryl azides. All the compounds were evaluated for their cytotoxicity on five human cancer cell lines (HL-60, A549, SMMC-7721, SW480, and MCF-7) using MTS assays. Among the synthesized series, most of them showed cytotoxicity and most of all, compounds 14 and 17 exhibited significant cytotoxicity of all five cancer cell lines.

Antibacterial Prenylated p-Hydroxybenzoic Acid Derivatives from Oberonia myosurus and Identification of Putative Prenyltransferases

Twelve hitherto unknown tandem prenylated p-hydroxybenzoic acid derivatives, namely, oberoniamyosurusins A-L, together with five known derivatives, were isolated from an EtOH extract of the whole parts of the plant Oberonia myosurus. Compounds 10, 13, and 17 exhibited moderate inhibitory activity against Staphylococcus aureus subsp. aureus ATCC29213 with MIC₅₀ values ranging from 7.6 to 23 μg/mL. To determine the biosynthetic pathway of this class of tandem prenyl-substituted compounds, the full-length transcriptome of O. myosurus was sequenced, yielding 19.09 Gb of clean data and 10 949 nonredundant sequences. Two isoforms of p-hydroxybenzoic acid prenyltransferases were annotated and functionally characterized as the enzymes that might be involved in the biosynthesis of nervogenic acid (13) in Pichia pastoris.

Chemical Constituents of Species in the Genus Pleione (Orchidaceae) and the Implications from Molecular Phylogeny

Pleiones are popular ornamental orchids and different species of Pleione are long being used as traditional medicine in many Asian countries. However, previous chemical investigations of the genus Pleione are restricted to only a few species. In the present study, high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) fingerprint of Pleione plants was established, which in particular, eight common peaks were confirmed in 16 species/hybrids. Three of the compounds corresponding to the chromatographic peaks were identified by electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-tandem-MS). HPLC analysis confirmed the studied taxa shared most of chemical compounds but the content of chemical compounds was significantly different between species. Comparison of hierarchical clustering result with phylogenetic tree revealed that closely related species have higher similarities in chemical constituents. In consideration of low chemical similarity between spring-flowering and autumn-flowering species, we suggest a discrimination of these two groups during medicinal use of the genus Pleione. Species with a large pseudobulb and with high content of a certain compound should be given priority in future artificial cultivation and medicinal cultivar breeding. We hope our findings will contribute to the quality control and promote conservation of such endangered plant group.

Total Synthesis of Gastrodinol via Photocatalytic 6π Electrocyclization

The first total synthesis of gastrodinol, an unprecedented poly-p-cresol-substituted natural product with a rearranged and reconstructed C ring moiety, is reported. Our synthesis features a convergent fragment approach. The Sonogashira coupling reaction forges the two segments together to furnish the conjugated ene-yne. Photocatalytic 6π electrocyclization followed by spontaneous aromatization is used to construct the tetrasubstituted B ring at the late stage. Further study shows that gastrodinol exhibits significant cytotoxic activity against five human cancer cell lines in vitro (IC₅₀ 2.5-3.8 μM).

Two unusual dendrobine-type alkaloids from Dendrobium findlayanum

Two unusual dendrobine-type alkaloids, findlayines E and F (1, 2), along with five known dendrobine-type alkaloids (3-7), were isolated from the stems of Dendrobium findlayanum Par. et Rchb. f. Compound 1 is the first example of dendrobine-type alkaloids with a 2-ethoxy-2-oxoethyl group attaching to the C-2, and compound 2 is a nor-dendrobine-type alkaloid, featuring a 5-decarboxylated structure. The structures of compounds 1 and 2 were elucidated by means of extensive spectroscopic analyses, and their absolute configuration were confirmed by electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculations. All isolates were evaluated for their cytotoxicity against HL-60, SMMC-7721, A-549 and MCF-7 human cancer cells.

Application of Eye Tracker in Lie Detection

Objective To investigate the application value of eye tracking in lie detection. Methods The 40 subjects were randomly divided into two groups. The pupil diameter, fixation duration, points of fixation and blink frequency of the subjects in the experimental group in observing target stimulation and non-target stimulation were recorded with eye tracker after they accomplished the mock crime. The eye movement parameters of subjects in the control group were directly collected. The differences in eye movement parameters of the experimental group and the control group in observing target stimulation and non-target stimulation were analyzed by t-test. Pearson coefficient analysis of correlation between eye movement parameters that had differences was conducted. The effectiveness of eye movement parameters to distinguish between the experimental group and the control group was calculated by the receiver operator characteristic （ROC） curve. Results Participants from the experimental group had shorter average pupil diameter, longer average fixation duration and fewer fixation points （P<0.05）, but the differences in blink frequency had no statistical significance. The differences in the above indicators of the control group in observing target stimulation and non-target stimulation had no statistical significance. The average fixation duration showed a negative correlation with fixation points （r=-0.255, P<0.05）; the average fixation duration showed a negative correlation with average pupil diameter （r=-0.218, P<0.05）; the fixation points showed a positive correlation with average pupil diameter （r=0.09, P<0.05）. The area under the curve of average pupil diameter, average fixation duration and fixation points was 0.603, 0.621 and 0.580, respectively. Conclusion The average pupil diameter, average fixation duration and fixation points obtained by the eye tracker under laboratory conditions can be used to detect lies.

Three new compounds from the flower branch of Gastrodia elata Blume and anti-microbial activity

Three new compounds (1–3): gastrodinol (1), 2-(4′-hydroxybenzoyl)-3-hydroxyethyl indole (2) and 2-(4′-hydroxybenzoyl)-3-(4′′-hydroxybenzyl)indole (3) were isolated from the flower branch of G. elata, and anti-microbial activity.

Four new sesquiterpene derivatives from Dendrobium findlayanum

Three new sesquiterpene glycosides with alloaromadendrane and ylangene-derived type aglycones, named dendrofindlayanosides A-C (1-3), one new cyclopacamphane type sesquiterpene named dendrofindlayanobilin A (4), together with five known compounds have been isolated from stems of Dendrobium findlayanum. Their structures were determined on the basis of spectroscopic and chemical methods.

Magnetoelectric Coupling by Piezoelectric Tensor Design

Strain-coupled magnetoelectric (ME) phenomena in piezoelectric/ferromagnetic thin-film bilayers are a promising paradigm for sensors and information storage devices, where strain manipulates the magnetization of the ferromagnetic film. In-plane magnetization rotation with an electric field across the film thickness has been challenging due to the large reduction of in-plane piezoelectric strain by substrate clamping, and in two-terminal devices, the requirement of anisotropic in-plane strain. Here we show that these limitations can be overcome by designing the piezoelectric strain tensor using the boundary interaction between biased and unbiased piezoelectric. We fabricated 500 nm thick, (001) oriented [Pb(Mg_1/3Nb_2/3)O₃]_0.7-[PbTiO₃]_0.3 (PMN-PT) unclamped piezoelectric membranes with ferromagnetic Ni overlayers. Guided by analytical and numerical continuum elastic calculations, we designed and fabricated two-terminal devices exhibiting electric field-driven Ni magnetization rotation. We develop a method that can apply designed strain patterns to many other materials systems to control properties such as superconductivity, band topology, conductivity, and optical response.

Two new acetoisovanillone glycosides from the water-soluble fraction of Paeonia ostii

The cortex root of Paeonia ostii, is used as a traditional Chinese medicine for treating female diseases. Phytochemical investigation of the water-soluble fraction of the plant led to the isolation of two new acetoisovanillone glycosides: acetoisovanillone-3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (1) and 2-hydroxy-acetoisovanillone-3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (2). Their structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic methods.

Glucoside Derivatives Of Podophyllotoxin: Synthesis, Physicochemical Properties, And Cytotoxicity

Background

Widespread concern of the side effects and the broad-spectrum anticancer property of podophyllotoxin as an antitumor agent highlight the need for the development of new podophyllotoxin derivatives. Although some per-butyrylated glucosides of podophyllotoxin and 4β-triazolyl-podophyllotoxin glycosides show good anticancer activity, the per-acetylated/free of podophyllotoxin glucosides and their per-acetylated are not well studied.

Methods

A few glucoside derivatives of PPT were synthesized and evaluated for their in vitro cytotoxic activities against five human cancer cell lines, HL-60 (leukemia), SMMC-7721 (hepatoma), A-549 (lung cancer), MCF-7 (breast cancer), and SW480 (colon cancer), as well as the normal human pulmonary epithelial cell line (BEAS-2B). In addition, we investigated the structure–activity relationship and the physicochemical property–anticancer activity relationship of these compounds.

Results

Compound 6b shows the highest cytotoxic potency against all five cancer cell lines tested, with IC₅₀ values ranging from 3.27±0.21 to 11.37±0.52 μM. We have also found that 6b displays higher selectivity than the etoposide except in the case of HL-60 cell line. The active compounds possess similar physicochemical properties: MSA > 900, %PSA < 20, ClogP > 2, MW > 700 Da, and RB > 10.

Conclusion

We synthesized several glucoside derivatives of PPT and tested their cytotoxicity. Among them, compound 6b showed the highest cytotoxicity. Further studies including selectivity of active compounds have shown that the selectivity indexes of 6b are much greater than the etoposide except in the case of HL-60 cell line. The active compounds possessed similar physicochemical properties. This study indicates that active glucoside analogs of podophyllotoxin have potential as lead compounds for developing novel anticancer agents.

Phenolic Constituents with Antioxidative, Tyrosinase Inhibitory and Anti-aging Activities from Dendrobium loddigesii Rolfe

Aqueous ethanol extracts of powdered stems of Dendrobium loddigesii afforded three new phenolics including threo-7-O-ethyl-9-O-(4-hydroxyphenyl)propionyl-guaiacylglycerol (1), (R)-4,5,4'-trihydroxy-3,3',α-trimethoxybibenzyl (2) and (S)-5,5',7-trihydroxy-3',4'-dimethoxyflavanone (3), together with eleven known analogues. Their structures were determined by extensive spectroscopic analysis. To identify natural antioxidants, whitening, and anti-aging agents, the abilities of these phenolics were assessed to scavenge the 1,2-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical, their abilities to inhibit tyrosinase production, and their abilities to stimulate collagen production by human dermal fibroblasts-adult (HDFa) assay. It was found that compounds 1, 4-8, 13 and 14 exhibited significant DPPH radical scavenging activities, compound 10 exhibited tyrosinase inhibitory activity (IC₅₀ 37.904 μg/mL), and compound 9 showed significant collagen production with an EC₅₀ value of 3.182 μg/mL. These results suggest that phenolic constituents from D. loddigesii may be candidate antioxidants, skin-whitening and/or anti-aging agents.

Four new monoterpenoids from the whole plants of Valeriana stenoptera

Four new monoterpenoids, including two new acyclic monoterpenoids (2R, 6R)-2, 6-dimethyl-8-isovaleroxyoctan-1-ol (1) and (2S, 6S)-2, 6-dimethyl-8-isovaleroxyoctan-1-ol (2), as well as two new iridoids stenopterins F-G (3 and 4), together with fifteen known compounds (5-19), were isolated from whole dried material of Valeriana stenoptera. Stenopterin F was the first reported iridoids with n-butoxyl in the Valerianaceae family. The structures of new compounds were established on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analysis.

Synthesis and Cytotoxicities of Novel Podophyllotoxin Xyloside Derivatives

Novel podophyllotoxin xyloside derivatives 8 to 11 were synthesized and evaluated for their cytotoxicities against a panel of 5 human cancer cell lines (HL-60, SMMC-7721, A-549, MCF-7, SW480) using [3-(4,5-dimethyl-thiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide] assays. These derivatives showed good to moderate activities, with compound 9 having an IC50 value of 4.42 μM against the A-549 cell line. Overall, compound 9 might be a promising candidate for further development.

Design, Synthesis, and Biological Evaluation of Novel Biotinylated Podophyllotoxin Derivatives as Potential Antitumor Agents

Podophyllotoxin has long been used as an active substance for cytotoxic activity. Fourteen novel biotinylated podophyllotoxin derivatives were designed, synthesized, and evaluated for cytotoxic activity for this study. The synthesized compounds were evaluated for cytotoxic activity in the following human cancer cell lines, SW480, MCF-7, A-549, SMMC-7721, and HL-60 by MTT assay. Most of them exhibited potent cytotoxic effects and compound 15 showed the highest cytotoxic activity among the five cancer cell lines tested, having its IC50 values in the range of 0.13 to 0.84 μM. Apoptosis analysis revealed that compound 15 caused obvious induction of cell apoptosis. Compound 15 significantly down-regulated the expression level of the marker proteins (caspase-3 and PARP) in H1299 and H1975 cells, activated the transcription of IRE1α, increased the expression of GRP78 and XBP-1s, and finally induced apoptosis of H1299 cells. In vivo studies showed that 15 at a dose of 20 mg/kg suppressed tumor growth of S180 cell xenografts in icr mice significantly. Further molecular docking studies suggested that compound 15 could bind well with the ATPase domain of Topoisomerase-II. These data suggest that compound 15 is a promising agent for cancer therapy deserving further research.

13,27-Cycloursane, ursane and oleanane triterpenoids from the leaves of Lucuma nervosa

One hitherto unknown 24-nor-13,27-cycloursane-type triterpenoid, lucumic acid A (1), one new 24-nor-ursane triterpenoid, lucumic acid B (2), along with six known triterpenoids were isolated from the ethanol extract of the leaves of Lucuma nervosa. Their structures were established on the basis of spectroscopic data interpretation. Lucumic acid A (1) is the first example of a 24-nor-triterpenoid with a 13,27-cyclopropane ring.

Sesquiterpenoids from the roots and rhizomes of Valeriana amurensis and their effects on NGF-induced neurite outgrowth in PC12 cells

Two new sesquiterpenoids, including a kessane-type sesquiterpenoid (1) and one bisabolane derivative (2), together with fourteen known sesquiterpenoids (3-16), were isolated from the roots and rhizomes of Valeriana amurensis. The structures of new compounds were established on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analysis. All isolates were evaluated for their effects on nerve growth factor (NGF)-mediated neurite outgrowth in pheochromocytoma (PC12) cells. As a results, four compounds including 10-12 and 15 showed potent promoting effects at the concentration of 10 µM on NGF-induced neurite outgrowth in PC12 cells with the differentiation rate of 11.84%, 12.21%, 13.77% and 12.16%, respectively.

Application of Nonlinear Optical Microscopic Imaging Technology for Quality Assessment of Donor Kidneys

BACKGROUND

Nonlinear optical microscopic (NLOM) imaging technique shows its high resolution imaging features in histocytology. The purpose of this study was to investigate NLOM imaging technique as a useful tool for a donor kidney quality assessment.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Eighty-three pretransplant kidney biopsies from adult donors were analyzed retrospectively. Each specimen was paraffin-embedded and sectioned into 2 consecutive 5-μm thick sections. One section was stained with Masson trichrome, and the other was left unstained for NLOM imaging using second harmonic generation combined with two-photon excited fluorescence (SHG/TPEF). The pretransplant kidney quality was assessed by an experienced pathologist using the Remuzzi scoring system, which characterizes renal tissue morphology into 4 aspects: tubular atrophy, interstitial fibrosis, glomerulosclerosis, and vascular injury. The K coefficient was used to measure the consistency of the Remuzzi scores between conventional Masson trichrome stained images and SHG/TPEF images.

RESULTS

NLOM imaging technology can capture high-resolution tissue images from unstained renal tissue, is easy to operate, and shortens time-consuming histological processing procedures. No significant differences (P > .05) were found between the Remuzzi scores of the SHG/TPEF images and the Masson trichrome stained images. The high κ coefficients (0.804-0.895) showed a good consistency between these 2 techniques.

CONCLUSION

The NLOM technique is suitable for renal tissue imaging and could potentially be used for routine pretransplant kidney evaluation in clinical settings.

[Diagnostic value of D-dimer combined with Wells score for suspected pulmonary embolism]

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the value of conventional and age-adjusted D-dimer cut-off value combined with 2-level Wells score for diagnosis of suspected pulmonary embolism.

METHODS

In the study, 335 patients with suspected pulmonary embolism who visited Peking University People's Hospital were enrolled retrospectively, then 274 patients with age over fifty years were chosen. The 2-level Wells score was applied to evaluate the clinical probability of pulmonary embolism, the diagnostic value of traditional D-dimer cut-off value (500 μg/L) and age adjusted D-dimer cut-off value (age×10 μg/L above 50 years) combined with Wells score no greater than 4 were compared. Computed tomography pulmonary arteriography (CTPA) was considered as the gold standard for diagnosis of pulmonary embolism.

RESULTS

(1) The area under a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) in analysis of the combination of Wells score no greater than 4 and traditional D-dimer cut-off value was 0.764 (95%CI: 0.703-0.818). On the other hand, the AUC in a ROC analysis of the combination of Wells Score no greater than 4 and age-adjusted D-dimer cut-off value was 0.814 (95%CI:0.756-0.863). These two results did not differ statistically (Z=0.05, P=0.121). (2) The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and Youden index of the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism of the combination of traditional D-dimer cut-off value and 2-level Wells Score were 100%, 48.9%, 28.8%, 100%, and 0.49, respectively. Meanwhile, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and Youden index of the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism of the combination of age-adjusted D-dimer cut-off value and 2-level Wells Score were 97.4%, 62.3%, 35.5%, 99.1%, and 0.60, respectively. Compared with using traditional D-dimer cut-off value, using age-adjusted D-dimer cut-off value could improve the diagnosis specificity (traditional D-dimer cut-off value group: 48.9%, age-adjusted D-dimer cut-off value group: 62.3%) of pulmonary embolism without reducing the sensitivity (traditional D-dimer cut-off value group: 100%, age-adjusted D-dimer cut-off value group: 99.1%). (3) Among the 222 patients with Wells Score no greater than 4, 90 patients were with D-dimer less than traditional cut-off value (500 μg/L), and 25 patients (account for 11.3% of all 222 patients) were with D-dimer between traditional cut-off value and age-adjusted cut-off value.

CONCLUSION

The application of age-adjusted D-dimer cut-off value can improve the diagnostic specificity of pulmonary embolism in patients over 50 years, without reducing the sensitivity. It can be used for ruling out suspected pulmonary embolism safely.

Synthesis and anticancer activity of dimeric podophyllotoxin derivatives

Background

Podophyllotoxin is a potent cytotoxic agent and serves as a useful lead compound for the development of antitumor drugs. Several podophyllotoxin-derived antitumor agents, including etoposide, are currently in clinical use; however, their therapeutic efficacy is often limited due to side effects and the development of resistance by cancer cells. Previous studies have shown that 4β-1,2,3-triazole derivatives of podophyllotoxin exhibit more potent anticancer activity and better binding to topoisomerase-II than etoposide. The effect of dimerization of such derivatives on the anticancer activity has not been studied.

Methods

Two moieties of podophyllotoxin were linked at the C-4 position via 1,2,3-triazole rings to give a series of novel dimeric podophyllotoxin derivatives. 4β-Azido-substituted podophyllotoxin derivatives (23 and 24) were coupled with various dipropargyl functionalized linkers by utilizing the copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) reaction to provide dimeric products in very good yield. The in vitro anticancer activity of the synthesized compounds was evaluated by MTT assay against a panel of five human cancer cell lines (HL-60, SMMC-7721, A-549, MCF-7, and SW480). The normal BEAS-2B (lung) cell line was also included for study in order to evaluate the cancer selectivity of the most active compound as compared with normal cells.

Results

A group of 16 dimeric podophyllotoxin derivatives with different linkers were synthesized and structurally characterized. Most compounds do not show significant cytotoxicity (IC₅₀ > 40 mM) against all five cancer cell lines. However, one compound (29) which bears a perbutyrylated glucose residue on the glycerol linker is highly potent against all five cancer cell lines tested, with IC₅₀ values ranging from 0.43 to 3.50 μM. This compound (29) also shows good selectivity towards cancer cell lines as compared with the normal BEAS-2B (lung) cell line, showing selectivity indexes from 4.4 to 35.7.

Conclusion

The anticancer activity of dimeric podophyllotoxin derivatives is generally speaking not improved as compared to their monomeric counterparts, and the potency of these dimeric derivatives can be largely affected by the nature of the linker between the two moieties. Among the synthesized derivatives, compound 29 is significantly more cytotoxic and selective towards cancer cells than etoposide and cisplatin, which are currently in clinical use. Compound 29 is a promising anticancer drug and needs further studies.

Inhibitory effect of different Dendrobium species on LPS-induced inflammation in macrophages via suppression of MAPK pathways

Dendrobii Caulis (DC), named 'Shihu' in Chinese, is a precious herb in traditional Chinese medicine. It is widely used to nourish stomach, enhance body fluid production, tonify "Yin" and reduce heat. More than thirty Dendrobium species are used as folk medicine. Some compounds from DC exhibit inhibitory effects on macrophage inflammation. In the present study, we compared the anti-inflammatory effects among eight Dendrobium species. The results provided evidences to support Dendrobium as folk medicine, which exerted its medicinal function partially by its inhibitory effects on inflammation. To investigate the anti-inflammatory effect of Dendrobium species, mouse macrophage cell line RAW264.7 was activated by lipopolysaccharide. The nitric oxide (NO) level was measured using Griess reagent while the pro-inflammatory cytokines were tested by ELISA. The protein expressions of inducible NO synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) phosphorylation were evaluated by Western blotting analysis. Among the eight Dendrobium species, both water extracts of D. thyrsiflorum B.S.Williams (DTW) and D. chrysotoxum Lindl (DCHW) showed most significant inhibitory effects on NO production in a concentration-dependent manner. DTW also significantly reduced TNF-α, MCP-1, and IL-6 production. Further investigations showed that DTW suppressed iNOS and COX-2 expression as well as ERK and JNK phosphorylation, suggesting that the inhibitory effects of DTW on LPS-induced macrophage inflammation was through the suppression of MAPK pathways. In conclusion, D. thyrsiflorum B.S.Williams was demonstrated to have potential to be used as alternative or adjuvant therapy for inflammation.

Valepotriates From the Roots and Rhizomes of Valeriana jatamansi Jones as Novel N-Type Calcium Channel Antagonists

The roots and rhizomes of Valeriana jatamansi have long been used as folk medicine in Asia and usually named as “Zhizhuxiang” in Chinese for the treatment of abdominal distention and pain. However, its active ingredients and molecular targets for treatment of abdominal pain remain unrevealed. Inhibitors of Ca_v2.2 N-type voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCCs) are actively sought after for their potential in treating pain, especially chronic pain. As far as we know, the method used for seeking analgesic active ingredient from plant material has rarely been reported. The analgesic potentials of the EtOH extract (0.01 mg/ml) of the roots and rhizomes of V. jatamansi and its EtOAc, n-BuOH and H₂O soluble parts (0.01 mg/ml, respectively) were tested herein on Ca_v2.2, using whole-oocyte recordings in vitro by tow-electrode voltage clamp. The results indicated that the EtOAc-soluble part exhibited the most potent inhibition of Ca_v2.2 peak current (20 mv). The EtOAc-soluble part was then subjected to silica gel column chromatography (CC) and giving 9 fractions. Phytochemical studies were carried out by repeated CC and extensive spectroscopic analyses after the fraction (0.01 mg/ml) was identified to be active and got seventeen compounds (1–17). All isolates were then sent for further bioactive verification (1 and 3 at concentration of 10 μM, others at 30 μM). In addition, the selectivity of the active compounds 1 and 3 were tested on various ion channels including Ca_v1.2, Ca_v2.1 and Ca_v3.1 VGCCs and Kv1.2, Kv2.1, Kv3.1 and BK potassium channels. The results indicated that compound 1 and 3 (an abundant compound) inhibited Ca_v2.2 with an EC₅₀ of 3.3 and 4.8 μM, respectively, and had weaker or no effect on Ca_v1.2, Ca_v2.1 and Ca_v3.1 VGCCs and Kv1.2, Kv2.1, Kv3.1 and BK potassium channels. Compounds 1 and 3 appear to act as allosteric modulators rather than pore blockers of Ca_v2.2, which may play crucial role in attenuating nociception. The results of present research indicated that the ethnopharmacological utilization of V. jatamansi for relieving the abdominal distention and pain may mediate through Ca_v2.2 channel. Our work is the first demonstration of inhibition of Ca_v2.2 by iridoids, which may provide a fresh source for finding new analgesics.

Affiliation with Natural Products at KIB of Prof. Zhou Jun: On the Occasion of 80th Anniversary of Kunming Institute of Botany, CAS

Prof. Zhou Jun, Academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences (1999), is a phytochemist and medicinal chemist of China. He is one of the pioneers of Kunming Institute of Botany, CAS and a major founder of the State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China. The chemical compositions of some TCM from genus of Dioscorea, Aconitum, Panax, Paris, Cynanchum, Gastrodia, Dendrobium etc. and family Asclepiadaceae, Caryophyllaceae, Hypoxidaceae etc. have been explored by Prof. Zhou's team as steroids, triterpenoids, alkaloids, cyclic peptides and phenols etc., which revealed the main active composition of those TCM such as Panax notoginseng, Paris yunnanensis and Gastrodia elata.

Protective role of microRNA-221 in Parkinson's disease

OBJECTIVE

The present study aimed to explore the role and the underlying mechanism of miR-221 in Parkinson's Disease.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

To perform our investigation, a PD cell model was created by using 6-OHDA. Cell viability and proliferation assays, and flow cytometry analysis were performed to detect cell viability and apoptosis. The qRT-PCR and western blotting were used for gene and protein level detection.

RESULTS

We found that the expression of miRNA-221 is significantly lower in 6-OHDA treated PC12 pheochromocytoma cells compared to the normal cells. The results of further analysis indicated that miR-221 mimic significantly promoted the cell viability and proliferation of PC12 cells treated with 6-OHDA. MiR-221 mimic significantly inhibited 6-OHDA-treated PC12 cells from apoptosis. These effects were eliminated by PTEN over-expression. We also revealed that PTEN was a direct target gene of miR-221. Moreover, we found miR-221 mimic significantly promoted the phosphorylation of AKT in PC12 cells treated with 6-OHDA, and over-expression of PTEN could eliminate this effect.

CONCLUSIONS

MiR-221 plays a protective role in Parkinson's Disease via regulating PC12 cell viability and apoptosis by targeting PTEN. Therefore, miR-221 may serve as a potential therapeutic target for Parkinson's disease treatment (Fig. 3, Ref. 27).